Spending the Night in a Tower by the River
A visible darkness grows up mountain paths,
I lodge by river gate high in a study,
Frail cloud on cliff edge passing the night,
The lovely moon topples amid the waves.
Steady, one after another, a line of cranes in flight;
Howling over the kill, wild dogs and wolves.
No sleep for me. I worry over battles.
I have no strength to right the universe
This poem stuck out to me the most compare to the others because every day I face obstacles that I need overcome. I read this poem a couple of times before I actually understood it. I am going to explain my interpretation of the poem to have an understanding of why I chose this specific song. In this poem Tu Fu has some troubles that won’t allow him to sleep. He knows he has upcoming obstacles and is not confident they are going to turn out in his favor. When Tu Fu mentions nature he is observing it and mentions how he has no control of it no matter how much he studies it.
The song I chose that relates to the poem is called “landslide” by Dixie Chicks and it is my favorite version out of all the ones that are out there. The song “landslide” talks about how change is scary but inevitable.
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides? -Song
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
VS
Frail cloud on cliff edge passing the night, -Poem
The lovely moon topples amid the waves.
Both the song and the poem mentioned nature and the changes it goes through. They both are similar because no matter how much we try nature goes through changes and cycles and humans can’t change it. If that was true, wouldn’t it be nice if people had a warning if a Tsunami was coming. Also the fact that nature and the changes it goes through and how you have no control over can be compared to the changes or obstacles someone may face even if they aren’t ready for it.
Well, I’ve been afraid of changing-song
VS
No sleep for me. I worry over battles.-Poem
Both lines refer to the feeling of fear of changing or what is about to come. In the song lyrics reveals that there is fear of change and in the poem reveals the emotion of worry over upcoming battles. We only worry about battles when we are not sure about the outcome. As I mention before even if you are not ready change is inevitable.
Jessica,
I like the connection you made between the poem and “Landslide.” I liked that both the poem and the song have nature, which makes them relevant to each other. The song is emotional, and the specific connection you made to “No sleep for me. I worry over battles / I have no strength to right the universe” and the song lyrics “I’ve been afraid of changing” shows that we are all vulnerable, afraid, and fragile inside. Whenever I hear this song, it always evokes some sort of emotional response, so connecting it to the poem gives it that somber tone I think it tries to achieve.